Fair pay for starting out
Photography by Adam King @catfordshuffle
Work experience is still an important start to a career in marketing and communications and three of our current team joined via our three-month internship programme. In interviews, I always tell potential recruits that they will have client-facing responsibilities and not to expect to be behind the scenes in a supporting capacity. It’s hands-on and hugely varied.
A good internship programme should be exactly that. In their first weeks at Filigree, our interns have organised parliamentary receptions, interviewed Mercury Prize nominated performers and gathered vox pops from MPs and business leaders. Our interns get a rich opportunity to get hands-on with our client projects, providing that important first career step.
It’s important their pay reflects this hard work. This week, we’re celebrating Living Wage Week as a recently accredited organisation, which recognises that young people face the same living costs as everyone else. The London Living Wage, currently set at £10.75 per hour, now stands at over £3 more per hour than the national minimum wage. That’s a significant difference, especially when you’re starting out in London.
Filigree is a brilliantly skilled team and I want to retain and continue to attract talent. Staff retention can be vital for a fledgling organisation, and building an environment where talented individuals are able to grow creates a solid, stable platform from which a company can flourish.
Becoming a Living Wage employer is an important milestone in Filigree’s growth. When you set up your own business, you have the opportunity to really think about what is important to your vision. Fair pay and flexible working have always been important principles for us. Whether it’s our team, the local network of freelancers we work with, or our suppliers; we believe in paying people fairly and promptly.
It is a significant commitment for a small business to become Living Wage accredited. Cash flow in a consultancy business is a constant challenge and we rely on our clients holding the same principles of fair and prompt payment.
If you believe in fair pay, I think every business owner has a duty to prove it by becoming accredited and lending support to the Living Wage campaign. London is an increasingly expensive city and everyone deserves a wage that reflects the cost of living. It sends a clear message to your team - and prospective employees - that you value their contribution, which improves team morale and boosts motivation.
We’re one of almost 6,000 employers in the UK that believe a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The London Living Wage rates are independently calculated by The Living Wage Foundation, and is an entirely voluntary pay rate based on what people actually need to live.
Sam Holgate, Founder and Director of Filigree.